The main focus of chiropractic practice is the relationship between the function of joints, muscles and the nervous system (neuromusculoskeletal disorders) and the effects of these disorders on all around health.
Practice
In Greek meaning “treatment by hand”, chiropractic therapy began as a profession separate from typical medical treatment in the United States in the 1890’s. There are over 50,000 chiropractors in the US alone. There is now a substantial body of research evidence supporting the basis of chiropractic treatment and demonstrating its safety and effectiveness for acute (short term) and chronic (long term) back pain, neck pain, headache and other referred pain syndromes.
Chiropractic is based on the fact that your nervous system controls the function of virtually every cell, tissue, organ and system of your body.
Nerve impulse is the most commonly overlooked essential for life and health. One of the major causes of nerve interference is misalignment of the spine, commonly referred to as a subluxation. The chiropractor’s role is to locate and correct subluxations, thus removing the interference and allowing the body to restore its normal function.
The solution to your problems may be as simple as having your spine checked by a chiropractor and getting an adjustment if needed. An adjustment is when a chiropractor uses a carefully directed and controlled pressure to restore spinal bones to proper alignment. Do not think that by rolling your neck and hearing it “click or pop” you can give yourself an adjustment. Damage can occur by mobilizing a joint with weakened muscles and ligaments. Adjustments are specific and take years to master.
Headaches/Migraines
A frequent and overlooked cause of headaches is the malfunction of spinal bones in the neck and upper back. When they lose their normal position or motion, nerves and blood vessels can be affected causing nerves and related tissues to become irritated creating a throbbing headache. Medications may cover up these warning signs but do not correct the underlying structural cause.
Back Pain and Neck Pain
Many factors can be responsible for low back pain. Improper sitting or lifting, overexertion, trauma or inherited spinal abnormalities may contribute to the cause. Popular reactions to neck and back pain are using muscle relaxers (drugs) and hot packs. These only cover up the problem and do not address the real cause. The chiropractic approach is to locate the underlying cause and address it. Studies have found that patients who received chiropractic care reported significant improvement in their functioning and a reduction in pain.
Children
Many spinal problems seen in adults begin in childhood. Babies, toddlers, and children well into their teens can get into poor habits or have traumas that will affect their neck and back health. Minor tumbles, bad posture and heavy backpacks are all things that add up and create problems for kids, not just on down the road but it can affect their current health. More and more families are finding that a periodic chiropractic spinal checkup for their children makes a big difference in their health.